Toronto · Toronto Hydro service area
Generac backup generators for Toronto homes
On a narrow Toronto lot, where a generator can legally sit matters as much as what size it is. We work out placement first, then size the unit and transfer switch to what you need running through an outage. We supply Generac units as an authorized dealer.
Toronto lots
The placement puzzle
Downtown and midtown Toronto houses sit close together. Side yards of a metre or less are normal in Leslieville, Riverdale and the Annex, and many semis share one side wall entirely. A standby generator needs clear space around it: away from operable windows and doors so exhaust can't get inside, away from air intakes, and a set distance from the property line. Manufacturers add their own spacing rules for service and airflow.
That's why we start every Toronto generator job outside, with a tape measure. Common answers are the rear yard near the back wall, beside a detached garage off the lane, or a corner of a wider side yard on a detached house in Leaside or North Toronto. The gas meter and panel locations decide how long the gas and electrical runs will be, which affects the price.
Why it's worth the effort
Toronto's older basements are prone to water, and many now hold finished rooms or a rental suite. When a summer storm knocks out power, the sump pump stops at the worst possible moment. In winter, a furnace without power can't heat the house, and pipes in older homes freeze faster than people expect.
Standby or portable
Two very different kinds of backup
Many Toronto owners start with a portable generator and outgrow it. Here's how they compare.
| Standby generator | Portable generator | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts | Automatically, within seconds | By hand, once you're home and it's safe |
| Fuel | Natural gas line, no refuelling | Gasoline, stored and refilled during the outage |
| Connection | Permanent, through a transfer switch | Must use a properly installed transfer device, never a cord into an outlet |
| Runs | Essentials or the whole house | A few circuits |
| Narrow lots | Needs a location that meets clearances | Must still run outdoors, well away from openings |
Sizing
Most Toronto homes choose essentials
Smaller Toronto houses often don't need whole-home backup. A unit sized for the furnace, sump pump, fridge, some lights and the internet keeps the house safe and liveable, costs less and is easier to place on a tight lot. Larger detached homes in Rosedale, Lawrence Park or Leaside, especially with central air, may justify whole-home coverage.
A sump pump in a finished basement
The single most common reason Toronto owners call us about backup power.
Someone who works from home
Internet, a computer and lights keep running through the outage.
Medical equipment
Anything that must stay powered gets priority in the sizing.
An older house that gets cold fast
Keeping the furnace running protects the people and the pipes.
The work
Installation, permits and gas
We file the ESA permit, install the pad, the generator, the automatic transfer switch and the wiring, and coordinate the gas connection, which must be made by a licensed gas fitter. After ESA inspects, we run the system under load and show you what happens in an outage and how the weekly self-test works. Read more on standby generators, or see panel upgrades in Toronto if your service needs work first.
Older panel?
Check the service first
A generator connects through your panel. If it's a fuse box or full, it usually makes sense to upgrade the service in the same project.
Panel upgrades in TorontoQuestions
Backup generators in Toronto: questions
Can I put a standby generator on a narrow Toronto lot?
Often, but not always. The unit has to keep set distances from windows, doors, air intakes and the property line, and on a semi or row house the side yard may be too tight. The rear yard is often the answer. If no location meets the rules, we'll tell you plainly rather than install one that won't pass inspection.
Can a generator run my semi when the neighbour's half has no power?
Yes. Each half of a semi normally has its own service and panel, and your generator only feeds your side through your transfer switch. It never touches the neighbour's supply or Toronto Hydro's lines.
What size generator do I need?
It depends on what you want running during an outage. Some homeowners back up essentials only (furnace, sump pump, fridge, a few lights and outlets). Others want the whole house. We look at your panel and how you use power, then recommend a size and a transfer switch to match.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Marrast Contracting is a Licensed Electrical Contractor, licence ECRA/ESA 7016430, and every job is led by Shaldin Marrast, a Master Electrician. You can check our licence on the Electrical Safety Authority's contractor lookup at esasafe.com.
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